InHerOwnWords...
Idon'trememberlearningtoread;itseemsasthoughI'vealwaysknownhow.Inthesameway,Idon'tknowwhenIfirstbegantodrawandpaint.I'vealwayslovedbooksandhavealwaysknownIwantedtobeanartist.Somakingpicturebooksforchildrenwasmynaturalcalling.IstillrememberhowtheworldlookedtomewhenIwasveryyoung,socommunicatingwithchildrenjuststartingoffonwhatIhopewillbealifetimeloveofbooksfeelsright.
ManyofthebooksIwriteIillustratemyself,butI'vealsobeenluckytohavecollaboratedwithotherillustratorswhobringtheirownspecialgiftsandvisiontothewordsIwrite.
Oneoftheseismydaughter,LizzyRockwell.Shehascollaboratedwithmeonaseriesofbooksaboutagroupofchildrenlearningabouttheworld,andtellingthereaderaboutthemselves,inthesortofcharmedandhappyclassroomallchildrenshouldhave.Twoofthetitlesarejustrightforthefallback-to-schoolseasonHalloweenDayandThanksgivingDay.
PaulMeiselhasillustratedMorganPlaysSoccer,publishedinAugust2001.Thisisthefirstofaseriesofbooksaboutwhatitmeanstobea"goodsport".Sportsareabigpartofchildhood.Eventhosewhoaren'tgoodatthemmustlearntherulesofthegame.AsMorganBrownbearfindsout,itisn'teasyalthoughifyouhavegoodfriendswhoarealsogoodsportsithelps.
I'venevermetachildwhowasn'tintriguedbyinsects.SteveJenkins'illustrationsforBugsAreInsects,Let'SReadAndFindOut(May2001)showwhychildrenlikemyyoungestgrandson,Christian,aretakenwiththebeautyandvarietytheyseeintheinsectworld.
Ibelievethatonceabookispublisheditbelongstoitsreaders.SonowI'mbusyworkingonideasfornewbooks.Ilovedoingthis,forI'malwaysrefreshedbystartingthiskindofadventurecarryinganideaallthewayturningitintoabookforotherstoreadandenjoy.